Did Sony Overlook the Seriousness of DRM

Microsoft’s recent decisions for the X-Box One and its plans to handle the DRM have caused gamers worldwide to raise up their arms in protest. This has gotten me thinking that this will actually help Microsoft win this generation yet again.

you have made a very strong point about publisher and developers flocking to the xbox one because of the drm blocking used games i can definitely see activision going this route, but if the ps4 does really well which developer in the right frame of mind will want to miss out if the idea is to get as much money as possible would it not make sense to put you game on as much platforms as you can. but only time will tell

Except activision is the one company that didn't cave to tactics like online passes. But yeah EA might be the one who does do it. But if you read their new stance on DRM at least on paper it looks like they aren't so much about it either. Ubisoft has supported the Wii U and still does and it has none of the DRM BS.

If PS4 has a higher install base than the Xbox, developers won't be able to ignore it.

but...even EA said they weren't informed, nor requested, any changes be made on a hardware level for additional DRM...

the online pass structure has been working perfectly this generation...Sony is still allowing publishers to do that...What MS did was take a working system and now put as many of their own fingers in it as possible...These spin articles keep saying 'Sony has no DRM, but that will be bad for business deals!!!'...wrong...Sony has no NEW DRM measures...very big difference...

If Sony translates the current PR advantage into tangible sales...none of this matters...publishers will handle used sales of their own titles how ever they see fit, which very well could turn into single player games from 3rd parties requiring an online check...that could happen...but the difference is simple. Sony won't be doing that on their own content...but will allow 3rd parties to do things like that, and therefor you make the decision at the time of purchase whether its acceptable...

MS, on the other hand, has forced it to be an integral part of the hardware...in which all choice is removed...

lol yet another troll website which not only thinks Microsoft "won" last generation (which it didn't if worldwide sales are what you're basing that off of) but there isn't a chance in hades that X-bone is going to sell more units or software than PS4.

Pretty much every large developer is going to be making multiplatform games, so don't hold your breath on exclusive stuff from activision, EA, Kojima productions, Ubisoft, or any other large dev that hasn't been handsomely paid off by either Sony or Msoft.

Who needs online passes when you have the best selling game 5 years in a row, and second place doesn't even hold a candle? Sales wise it was completely unnecessary to have one, it would have lost more sales than it made.

Kleptic MS and Sony have the exact same DRM policy for used games. Both have said they will leave it up to the publishers. The only difference is that Sony won't just admit that. MS has designated retailers, but any publisher wanting their game blocked will have to block it completely or have specific retailers the game has to be taken to so that the developer can get a cut. So there is no difference, Sony is just being disingenuous. It's lying by omission.

If you look at a game like CoD that sells 20-25 million copies, Activision may very well block that. It remains $55 dollars which means it sell s pretty well used. So 3 or 4 million used copies wouldn't be a stretch. If half of those people buy it new, that's an additional 100 million for Activision. That's a lot to walk away from. Also if GS is offering $15 on trade instead of $25, a lot of people will just keep their games. Which plays into the developers hands.

DRM slut EA broke speed records rushing to initiate damage control after Sonys press conference. The articles kept popping up left, right and center about how EA doesn't support DRM and what not. The crowd was cheering and chanting "SONY" after Jack Tretton mentioned used games. I hardly think publishers will ignore what happened there. If they do, they shouldn't make business decisions any longer, if they want to stay successful.

@TrickyMic - EA recently said they had no problem with used games and felt no need to restrict them. As Serg says, even if they are BS'ing post E3 no publisher is going to chance such a finanical loss that could come from bad word of mouth or a boycott on the levels we are seeing against the XBone. The 'used game' losses (pah! yeah whatever - they keep the industry flowing like any food chain) are minor compared to a boycott and publisher's bad image.

Not sure where in the world you live, but I live in the US.. and believe me, no one here wants an XboxOne either! I think the x1 will struggle worldwide, to be honest.

The 360 is a very popular console here in the US, but even those who have loved their 360's this generation are steering clear of the X1 for obvious reasons. There will always be die-hards and brand loyalists (fanboys) to buy the X1, but not enough to really sway sales I don't think.

Xbox fans trumpeting the family share plan, you don't know enough about it to think it's the holy grail, just know if it sounds to good to be true it probably is.

Some of the tactics I can see them doing is blocking sharing and reselling for 30 days after the release window. And if publishers are losing more on it then used games, it will get pulled back. Same thing happened on the PS3 when they allowed 5 people to share. So keep that in mind if that's what's pushing you to buy an Xbox One.

@Rippn If you are referring to me, you are barking up the wrong tree. I for one will be getting both (when I can afford both). I hate the fanboyism on this site,I feel like if you are going to spread information, at least spread the correct information.

I think he is referring to the shared library. Not completely sure how it works but you nominate 10 people to be on the list and in turn you become on their list? This is the only way it seems to makes sense for me. No way in hell will a company that only lets you lend a game once to one person let you share all of your download library with 10 people without some sort of restriction.

@RiPPn I think the main reason they changed it from 5 to 2 was because of PS+, all those free games for free!

I think you are forgetting that Sony said that the DRM restrictions of the publishers are up to the publishers so if they want to do the same thing with the PS4 there is nothing stopping them. Sony said no DRM on their first party games, third party is a totally different story.

@H3ADWOUND81 How do the consumers have a choice? If the publisher restricts DRM it doesn't matter which console you own it will not be resellable on either, Sony confirmed this already. Also everyone on here tends to act like they never heard MS say ONLY first party games will be restricted at resale. Other resale is again left up to the publisher. If there is a code included with the game it can not be resold or gifted more than once as it will be track. If not you can sell or give that game to as many people as you like. People on here really need to listen to what is beibg said and stop hearing what you want.

The thing is if a developer loses the supposedly 20% of sales to trade but sells 50% more copies on ps4 it wont matter. Why would it sell more on PS4? Because as things stand it looks like more PS4 consoles will sell thanks to pre-order numbers and unless its a shooter or first party game it doesn't sell as good on xbox as playstation. Especially games like JRPGs. Look at FF13 which sold 5 million on PS3 compared to 2 million on 360 for example and at that point in time MS were still a few million ahead of Sony worldwide. What do you think wil happen once thats removed?

Oh and 5 million is a 250% increase I think you can take trades out of the equation.

When publishers were asked about this they didn't seem to favor one system over the other in any way... Keep in mind no publisher will ever overlook the larger instal base. For the sake of argument let say XB1 sells 7 million the first year and PS4 sells 12 million, publishers are not going to ignore the 5 million more users on the PS4 because of DRM.

Doesn't matter what developers do with this. What is more important are the gamers. So many of us can't or won't buy a game at full price. It might seem good for publishers to make as much money as possible by restricting a console, but in the end the gamers are gonna hate you for that. The positive reactions worldwide of the PS4 prove that

Friend#1 buys Halo game, and plays the game, next day Friend#2 don't have to wait till Friend#1 finish the game, because he can just download it and share it :) Friend#1 & Friend#2 can now finish about the same time.

Disc base convince Friend#2 to buy because Friend#1 will never share until he finish. We all know that's the true because if you lend you'll never get it back until he finishes it! lol!!!

So if this whole MS is anti consumer and DRM is necessary crap what makes you think Shared up to not 2 BUT TEN ???

That's going to destroy the insdustry faster the piracy I bet! Because this time it's actually legal! lol!

If EA, Activision, or Ubi want similar DRM, it will happenon the PS4. Sony wouldn't survive without third party support. They simply do not have the financial backing for it. The 24 hour check in is for the games ripped to the One's HDD. Without it, the disc would need to be in the drive or it would be a pirate dream console. Devs and publishers would be very unhappy. When a game is traded, it needs to be unlocked from the original owners library. This is the second part of the DRM and also a step in the 24 hour check. When the game is unlocked, Microsoft will not collect a fee unless they publish the game. On third party games, a fee is paid to the third party. I can't think of any publisher that will not want to recover some of the lost revenue used games take. Sony has stated they will not stop a third party from wanting the same thing with the PS4. Currently Sony does not tie a game to the console. In order for third parties to get the same protection, Sony would have to make a change. If the XboxOne is more proftiable for developers, it may get more games. If this happens, Sony will get less console sales and game royalties. This would create a snowball effect that would be very bad for Sony.

They are in 3rd place this gen based off total sales. And obviously didn't win last gen so where do you get "yet again" from?

And MS has no chance winning next gen. They still lost this gen when they were cheaper and launched a yr ahead. Now they don't have that luxury. PS4 is obviously getting back a lot of marketshare from the U.S and UK with the cheaper price tag and good policies. MS has nowhere else in the world. Its common sense that PS4 will win next-gen.

One point no one has thought of: Yes, Microsoft has a system in place to help developers get money back from used games...but what if not enough people use this system? What if people slow the number of games they resell or trade in this next generation. Then what?

except if most gamers flock to the ps4 because it does not have drm who are the publishers going to sell their games to?

what is the point of having DRM to secure your game sales if you have nobody on that platform to sell the games to?

it's simple, no matter how much the publishers love drm, in the end they will have to go where their customers are. The only people who thing this is going to work the other way round are the sheep who just don't get it or don't think they have a choice in the matter... News flash, You do have a choice!

If "most" gamers flock to the PS4 so they can buy more used games, rent them or borrow them, Sony will lose money on hardware and make nothing on software. The DRM in the XboxOne is used to verify we possess a physical copy of the game we ripped. An added bonus is the publisher getting a cut from the used sale. If your biggest gripe about the XboxOne is you buy used games only, you aren't their customer anyway. The only one getting paid on used sales is the retailer.

Fighting DRM is fighting progress and technology. Having access to all your games at all times without physical media is where we are all headed. Digital Downloads are the future. No trading, re-selling, or gifting there. The XboxOne gives you all the advantages digital offers and still allows you to trade the physical media if you choose. Digital rights management is what makes it possible.

But Microsoft hasn't "won" a generation even once, unless you're going to participate in some geographically-redefining moving of the goalposts (like people have been doing since Kinect launched). Xbox sold less than PS2, and Xbox 360 sold less than Wii and PS3. How is that winning?

Anyway, moving on...

"why wouldn’t you want to develop games for a console which people will be forced to buy your game new?"

Because publishers/developers are businesses, and they know that the pittance gained from locking/restricting used games is nothing compared to the total loss of sales if people boycott their game and boycott the Xbox One. If publishers were willing to make nearly every 3rd party game multiplat this past gen (Bioshock, Dead Rising, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, Devil May Cry, etc. etc. etc.) then what makes you think they'd stay exclusive on a system that might not sell well?

"Is it any surprise that Microsoft came out during their reveal and E3 press conference mentioning several times how many exclusives they have nailed down?"

No, it's not a surprise, because Microsoft always front-loads. They do it for every product they release. If you're still falling for this in 2013, then you deserve what's coming to you on the Xbox One.

"I do not want to start over on another console and lose all the hard work I put into getting all those trophies."

Brand-loyalty (or in this case, Achievement loyalty) is something that has been shattered time and time again. There is only one instance of brand-loyalty in the history of videogaming: PS1 to PS2. Every time a new gen begins, the reset button gets pushed. You can't count on Xbox One doing well simply because "those Cheevos, bro!"

I also think Sony was brilliant for not bundling the camera. Especially with all the privacy concerns as of late, I've already been hearing other parents saying they don't want their game console spying on their kids.

Microsoft declaring war on consumers and retailers means someone who walks in to GameStop, Best Buy, or ma and pop stores and are on the fence, not only are they going to see a lower priced PS4, but the clerk is going to push them in that direction because it's not a threat to their business like the Xbox One is.

Microsoft is in a bad position, and they will throw a lot of money at it, but will it be enough?

Not only that. But weigh in on the other factors of being out a year earlier, 100-200 cheaper, decent library of games, and all the momentum. They still come in last place, actually it is kinda sad really.

What gets me, a lot of people forgot PlayStation 3 didn't really get hacked until the USB key was stolen back in 2011 (and the PSN outage April-May); and the Vita hasn't really been cracked 100% (some unconfirmed youtube videos).

Sony I give credit to since stolen property was required to actually open the system 100%; and before people start arguing "Other OS" keep in mind that it was removed unless you wanted to stay offline, and not required for gaming.

Going from the Dominance of the PS2 in comparison the the OX MS not only cut Sony lead in Half with the 360 they also sold more software for the 360 then Sony did for the PS3.

Microsoft won from a business standpoint this generation. Which means they won this generation.

I could care less about the disagrees im about to get.

Its a fact.

If a football team starts of a season being promoted to the premier league but is expected to come last that season. Then they end up being right at the top of the league above all the favourites. That team is the winner. Thats exactly what Microsoft did this generation.

I remember when "first to 10 million wins" was the goalpost. I remember when it was then "first to 100 million wins". I remember when "Metacritic score" was the goalpost. I remember when "total number of exclusives" was the goalpost. I remember when "sales numbers" was the goalpost.

Now the goalpost is...they did "the best" as a business? And that isn't even true, because the Wii was a much more successful product - from a business standpoint, even - than the 360.

The team that wins the league wins, not the team that was promoted last season and did surprisingly well this season, unless they finished first.

From a business stand point Nintendo are winning this generation at this point, they have sold the most consoles, made the most profit and gained the largest market share compared to the generation before.

Theres no way microsoft have done as well as they should have done this gen compared to the amount of money they have thrown around.

In fact heres a wee analogy for you, a rich consortium buys majority shares in a football team, then spends more money than any other team buying top players but still only manages to finish mid table. Thats what microsoft did this generation.

But...there are far more PS3's and far more CONNECTED PS3's in peoples' homes worldwide. Software sales are tricky. WHat sold 300k-500k units in Japan may never have reached the global charts but still counts for sales and I'd venture to predict that PS3 software GLOBALLY outsold 360s since there is a FAR larger library of games on the machine, sold in different markets but popular there nonetheless in their own right.

From a business standpoint...in America? Sure, they got their meta victory for not allowing Sony to dominate the core console market there. But they are non-factors globally and from a BUSINESS STANDPOINT that isn't a victory at all.

Actually contrary to the belief of many many people the Gamecube was actually more powerful than the PS2 but not as powerful as the xbox "one" (original). The wii was between an original xbox and xbox 360 in terms of power.

I had a dream yesterday , it's About the "Chines hackers are getting ready for Xbox 1 release date " it looks like They will find away to hack DRM restrictions , finding another way to download Xbox 1 games for free.

How well has the Wii been selling the last 2 years? Trends, people love to follow them. My stepmother bought a wii and bought 2 games and hasn't played it in over 3 years. That tells you everything you need to know.

If the console isn't popular, then publishers will be flocking to a system that won't get them any games sold. I could be wrong(I was wrong about Microsoft), but I don't think publishers are stupid enough to not realize that.

... then again, they could be just like the "journalists" that think it's possible to sell lots of copies with no consoles on the market.